Introduction Health and Well-being Assessment profiles pull together statistics about groups of people with health and care needs in the County and form the evidence base in the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Northumberland. This profile provides statistics about looked after children (LAC) in Northumberland. These are children who are aged under-18 and are looked after by the local authority.
The local authority statistics below are rounded to the nearest five and regional and national figures are rounded to the nearest ten, all percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number to protect confidentiality. Detailed statistical tables containing additional information to that provided in this profile for looked after children can be found online. Statistics relate to 31 March in the reference year and analysis covers the five year period between 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2013.
Key Points
- Northumberland County Council had 315 children in the looked after care system at March 2013, this is the highest number and rate recorded at this time of year in Northumberland during the last five years.
- Northumberland has 52 children in the looked after care system per 10,000 population which is lower than the rate in England (60) and the North East Region (80).
- The number of looked after children in Northumberland increased by 35 in the 12 months between 31 March 2012 and 2013 (+35), this was the largest annual change between 31 March 2009 and 2013.
- Of the 315 children looked after in Northumberland at 31 March 2013, 255 (80 per cent) were cared for in a foster placement, while 165 children were looked after under a care order representing 53 per cent of all looked after children.
- Northumberland figures show that less than half of all looked after children (46 per cent) have emotional and behavioural health that is considered normal.
Number of Looked After Children
Northumberland County Council currently has 315 children in the looked after care system at March 2013, this is the highest number and rate recorded at this time of year in Northumberland during the last five years (see Figure 1). This is an increase of 13 per cent compared to 31 March 2012 and 17 per cent compared to 31 March 2009. Northumberland has 52 children in the looked after care system per 10,000 population which is lower than the rate in England (60) and the North East Region (80). Figure 2 below shows that between 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2013 the rate of looked after children for Northumberland has increased from 43 to 52 per 10,000 population (+9) this is more than the increase in England (54 to 60, +6) but considerably lower than the increase in the North East Region (61 to 80, +19). The number of looked after children in Northumberland increased by 35 in the 12 months between 2012 and 2013 (+35), this was the largest annual change between 2009 and 2013